That's What HE Said #59 ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #40

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies @Chapter Break. Here's the deal: every Thursday, post a line from your book boyfriend to his heroine. Keep in mind, these are direct quotes from dialog in the books. The quote doesn't have to be romantic - just something our hunky hero said to his lucky lady. Be sure to link up over at Chapter Break as well.

My pick this week for That's What He Said is from:

The Gamble by Kristen Ashley

I'm re-reading this one and falling for Max and Nina all over again. Here, Max is proving why he's the better man. ;)

***

"Because I've seen you naked. I've seen you sweet. I've seen you unsure. And I've seen you riled, and seein' all that, I know, you were half a world away from me, I'd fuckin' phone."

...

"If you told me you needed a time-out, first, I wouldn't fuckin' let you have one. Second, I wouldn't give you a reason to fuckin' want one. And last, you took off anyway, I'd fuckin' phone."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Max *sigh*

"Hurry up. The food'll be here in a minute," he said when he let me go. 
I looked at the table, then at him. "We haven't ordered yet."
"Yeah, we have."
"I haven't even seen a menu!" I said, my voice raised.
"You're gettin' a buffalo burger with jack cheese and onion rings, just like me."
I shook my head, those short, jerky shakes, and I wasn't certain I'd ever really done that before but I seemed to do it a lot around Max.
"But--"
"You a vegetarian?"
"No."
"Then trust me."

Review ~ Facade ~ Nyrae Dawn

Facade by Nyrae Dawn
Games #2
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #BloggerShame, #COYER B2B, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she's never been--and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies' man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his facade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together--or tear them apart forever?

Why, why, why?!? *shakes fist at sky* Why did I wait so long to read this book? I'm kicking myself, I can tell you that. I've only read a few books from Ms. Dawn but I can say with certainty that she knows how to bring the feels along with a very compelling story.

*Tissue Alert* You'll need a few for this book. 

Delaney and Adrian are two damaged souls linked together by tragedy. When they come into each others' lives, there is this draw between them. They each seem to really see the other - not those things they show everyone else...no, they each see through the masks they wear, even if they don't know all the secrets they're each hiding from one another.

Delaney is a sweet soul. She's optimistic - maybe even idealistic despite all the's seen and endured. She only wants to help everyone heal - to make everything better. She takes on the sins of others, she takes punishment she doesn't deserve, in order to try to piece back together the family she loves. Her good intentions, though, didn't prepare her for the feelings Adrian would incite.

Adrian really broke my heart - even if I could relate to Delaney's struggles on a more personal level. Adrian is experiencing so much pain and grief - he's drowning in it. To stay afloat, he dawns this devil-may-care mask, smokes pot, drinks, loses himself in girls. Until Delaney, the only positive in his life has been his best friend, Colt.

Ms. Dawn deftly conveyed Delaney's and Adrian's emotional states, both before and after they met. I found myself hoping against hope things would work out for them - even though I knew something would have to give. Their attraction and burgeoning feelings for one another - I felt it all, almost viscerally. And the twists Ms. Dawn tossed in threw me for a loop. I was bawling my eyes out several times. However, I was happy with how things wrapped up.

I'm going to be making a concerted effort to read all the other books  I own from Ms. Dawn. She's quickly moved onto my favorite authors list with her ability to create a moving story with characters I adore, and her ability to evoke a huge range of emotions.

Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway ~ Prince of the Playhouse ~ Tara Lain (@TaraLain)

I'm thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Tara Lain's Prince of the Playhouse. This is the third book in her Love in Laguna series and I've loved them all, but this one just might be my favorite so far! Today I have my review for you as well as a giveaway! Enjoy!


Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain
Love in Laguna #3
Release Date: April 4, 2016
Genre: Adult, M/M Contemporary Romance
Source: I received an eARC, as part of the tour, in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis
Driven by his desire to become a successful fashion designer and concerned with hiding his questionablepast, Ru Maitland lets his obsession with action movie star Gray Anson on the big screen replace his social life. Then obsession and reality collide when Ru is asked to design fashion costumes for a special performance of Hamlet at the Playhouse in Laguna starring none other than Gray Anson. Gray turns out to be a compelling mix of shy and brash and, despite a high profile engagement to a female socialite, the signals Gray sends Ru have his libido doing the salsa.

Gray Anson has what most people only dream of—great wealth, huge fame, a job he loves. For that, he’s given up any semblance of privacy and the right to say no to the thousands of people who depend on him and the millions who love him. He sees everything he’s ever wanted just outside the bubble of his life, but how can he make the compromises needed to embrace it? When Ru’s shady past crashes into Gray’s paparazzi-haunted present, both men have to learn that sometimes the only acceptable compromise is the truth.

Prince of the Playhouse may be my favorite of this series so far! I've always been fond of Ru and getting to know his backstory was enlightening. Watching him get his man...exciting! Those two things mixed with a hunky action-movie hero, some suspense, and Shakespeare made for an excellent read!

I first met Ru in Knight of Ocean Avenue. His creativity was apparent as was his love and loyalty towards his friends. But we didn't get a deeper understanding until now - where it's obvious Ru's habit of keeping most people at arm's length is intentional. With what I learned, I realized Ru is smart, strong, and incredibly lucky. The life he's leading is somewhat charmed and he works hard, very hard, not only in crafting his life but also in keeping his past at bay.

Gray Anson made it big his first time off the block, so to speak. Now, the biggest action star in Hollywood, he has everything money can buy. But he wants more. He wants to test himself, t be taken seriously as an actor...and he wants love. However, due to his action hero status, Gray lives in the closet. Little did he know his decision to play the lead role in Laguna's little production of Hamlet would give him everything he's desiring. Gray is such a lovable guy. He's famous yet vulnerable. And the misery he felt at being forced to live his real private life in secret was palpable. My heart hurt for him.

Watching Ru and Gray get to know one another, seeing their attraction grow into something more as hey worked on Hamlet was fascinating. I'm a nerdy Shakespeare fan, so having Hamlet as the backdrop, having Ru explain different scenes and the meaning behind them and Hamlet's lines - well, that really appealed to me and increased my enjoyment. That Ru kept his secret from Gray for so long broke my heart. But it also showed me his insecure and vulnerable side as well. I understood Ru's indecision over his relationship with Gray just as I understood Gray's indecision over making possibly career-changing decisions.

Another pleasure in Prince of the Playhouse was meeting some new secondary characters who were delightful. I certainly hope to see more of Merle but I also quite liked Gray's bodyguard, Chris, and Gray's mom! I also enjoyed getting to see more of Shaz.

Prince of the Playhouse had so much goodness and depth and - well, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I really look forward to Ms. Lain's next offering in this series.

**Love in Laguna Series**

Knight of Ocean Avenue

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Audible

Knave of Broken Hearts

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Audible

Prince of the Playhouse

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

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Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

Sunday Post #11 ~ Birthday Celebration

As y'all probably all know, the Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share my news from the week whether it be book, blog, or just life news. Since I read so many of your Sunday Posts and I wanted to add something new in 2016, I've decided to join in the fun!

***

This week started with my birthday. ;) Hubs took the day off and gave me a Rock Chick birthday - wherein we ate lunch at Lincoln's Roadhouse and dessert at Pasquini's. It was warm enough that we had our dessert outside on the patio! It was a great day!

And my friend Robyn was in town. I'm lucky her dad lives really close to me so when she's here visiting him, I get some time with her as well! It was a wonderful birthday treat to have dinner with her and her boys as well as an 'adults only' breakfast! ;)

Despite all the partying, it was a productive week personally. I decided to dedicate April to spring cleaning and got several tasks marked off my list this week. AND I finished my taxes, too. 

The winter music season is now officially over as my son's indoor percussion ensemble finished their season yesterday with a 3rd place finish. Not bad for a mostly freshman ensemble. I know my kids enjoy their activities, and I enjoy watching and supporting them, but I sure am glad it's over for awhile. ;)

Reading-wise, I'm finished listening to Last First Kiss by Lia Riley. I also finished Right by Jana Aston and Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain. I'm currently re-reading Rock Chick Reckoning by Kristen Ashley, Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake, and I'm listening to Like Gravity by Julie Johnson.

Next weekend, Hubs and I are taking Sky to Portland for an event at her college so there won't be a Sunday Post next week.

I hope y'all had a fantastic week! Enjoy this upcoming week and happy reading! :D

***

Challenge Updates

I made a little progress in a few of my challenges this week. 

#ShelfLove - 31
Blogger Shame - 5
New Release - 12
Goodreads - 50
#2016HW - 6

How are y'all doing with your challenges?

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged #86 ~ The Birthday Haul

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged is a weekly meme, hosted by TalkSupe, where I share with you the books I have bought, borrowed, or bagged (gifted or won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, and any other bookishness I want to share. :)

***

I celebrated my birthday this past week and look at the loot I scored! :)

Bagged

I received Jill Shalvis' Cedar Ridge trilogy from Lexxie, for my birthday. She's so good to me!! <3 <3 She's also the one behind MyBookBox gift, which actually came the week before but I forgot to add it to my BB&B post last week. Thanks and love you, Lexxie! Red Rising, Ink and Bone, The Glittering Court, and One with You are all from my Hubs. He's so good to me. :D And I got the Mike's Staff t-shirt from my pal, Robyn! Thanks again, chickie!

Last Week's Reviews

Seducing a Highland Lass by Maya Banks
Pent Up by Damon Suede
Right by Jana Aston

Upcoming Reviews

Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain
Two Minutes by Dannika Dark
Facade by Nyrae Dawn
The Guardian by Margaret Mallory

My TBR List ~ April ~ And the Winner is...

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. I think it's a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. 

Here's how it works:
On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review.

Fun, right?!?

***

This month, I decided to have y'all pick the series I work at catching up on. Y'all decided on...

The Winner Is:

Frost Burned
Mercy Thompson #7

Synopsis
Mercy Thompson's life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman - the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack - has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy's life. But on the edges of humanity, a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more. After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can't reach Adam - or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They've all been abducted. Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. Outclasses and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from the most unlikely of allies: the vampire seethe.

Check back on April 30 for my review. And thanks for voting!

New Release Blitz, Review, & #Giveaway ~ Right ~ Jana Aston

Happy Release Week, Jana Aston!!
RIGHT released on April 6th!
Today, I have an excerpt, my review, and a giveaway for y'all!
 Sit back, enjoy, and get your one-click finger ready! ;)

Right by Jana Aston
Release Date: April 6, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased my own copy. :D
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease
Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis

My childhood was perfect.

I’ve led a charmed life, and I’m not going to blow it now by picking the wrong guy.

I’ve got my sights set on my brother’s best friend.

He’s known my family for years. He’s reliable and kind and handsome.

Sure, he’s been avoiding me since I was six.

I’m a bit aggressive for him, maybe.

But he’s the one… right?

"What about you, Everly?'
"What about me what?" I ask, confused.
"Are you seeing anyone?" He looks over at me. "At school?"
Not successfully, I think to myself. "No, not right now. I'm kinda taking a break this semester."
"Taking a break," Eric repeats, glancing over at me. "That's not like you. At all."
I shrug. "It's exhausting."
"What's exhausting?" he asks, frowning.
"Um--" Breaking and entering, I think. But I can't tell him that.
"You know, the whole 'does he like me' thing."
"If you have to wonder if a guy likes you, then he's not the right guy for you, Everly."
"Maybe it's more complicated than that."
"It's never more complicated than that."

Oh my goodness! Right was laugh-out-loud funny and also managed to wring a few tears! Ms. Aston, I'm happy to say, is *not* a one-hit wonder, y'all. She delivered another well-written story!

When I met Everly in Wrong, I adored her. She's nothing like me but the kind of person I wish I could be. She lives in the moment while also meticulously scheming planning both for herself and anyone else she things she can help (usually with laughable results). She has no filter - what she's thinking typically comes out of her mouth. She's a girl who uses her nail polish to set the mood - whether it be for a job interview or a date. She's a girl with a huge heart. She's delightful and I adore her!

Sawyer...*swoon* I loved him from the start. He wasn't afraid to call Everly on her shit, which was hysterical. He was her match. He saw what he wanted and went about getting it - even employing some of Everly's tactics to do it. With him and Everly - it was a lightning strike. And the repercussions were delicious.

What they had together though - what they built - was solid. There may have been a few doubts, but not on my part. As Sawyer said,

"Life isn't always that neat, Everly."

And they proved they'll be able to weather storms.

The interplay between them was so fun...it was hilarious! Ms. Aston nails the humor in the dialog and in the action. Some of their conversations had me rolling in laughter. And Everly's reactions to Sawyer's wooing techniques - he really was just like her. And it was a pleasure to watch.

Ms. Aston proved she's a voice that's here to stay. And I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Jana Aston is the New York Times bestselling author of WRONG.

She quit her super boring day job to whip up another book & is hoping that was not a stupid idea.

In her defense, it was really boring.

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♥ OTHER BOOKS BY JANA ASTON ♥

WRONG

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Blogger Chick Chat Review ~ Pent Up ~ Damon Suede

Pent Up by Damon Suede
Release Date: November 20, 2015
Genre: Adult, M/M Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on nook
Challenges: #2016HW, #ShelfLove, #TakeControlTBR
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
PENT UP: Mix business with pleasure and take cover.

Ruben Oso moves to Manhattan to start his life over as a low-rent bodyguard and stumbles into a gig in a swanky Park Avenue penthouse. What begins as executive turns into personal wrking for a debonair zillionaire who makes Ruben question everything about himself.

Watching over financial hotshot Andy Bauer puts Ruben in an impossible position. He knows zero about shady trading and his cocky boss lives barricaded in a glass tower with wall-to-wall secrets and hot-and-cold-running paranoia. Can the danger be real? Is Andy for real?

What's a bullet catcher to do? Ruben knows his emotions are out of control even as he races to untangle a high-priced conspiracy and his crazy feelings before somebody gets dead. If his suspicions are right, Andy will pay a price neither can afford, and Ruben may discover there's no way to guard a heart.

***

Me: I finished Pent Up, so we can discuss. I'll let you start this time.

Lexxie: I haven't completely finished Pent Up yet...I find it very slow, and I'm not sure I like all the jabs at 'white rich people'...Like there's a score to be settled

OK, I've finished...
3.5 stars
I think this was less good than Hot Head...
And mainly, I think that's because Ruben and Andy were just the two of them for most of the story - it felt like that made the characters underdeveloped somehow. The twist at the end wasn't really a twist, either - even if I hadn't thought of it, I wasn't overly surprised, you know?
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I feel like this read almost like a YA, but with characters who were in their late thirties/early forties...

I'm waffling between 3-3.5 stars...
I'm going to have to read Hot Head.

It did kinda seem like the characters were underdeveloped a bit. I mean, we meet Charles and Andy's assistant (who I really liked but can't remember her name) but it was pretty much just the two of them.

I think I had a hard time getting into the story because I didn't understand what was going on...which is part of the story - and I found the terminology *ahem* very male. I'm guessing that's Damon's style and I liked it once I got used to it.

Once I hit a certain point in the book though, I really liked Ruben and Andy. They seemed to fulfill something that was missing in each other's lives.

What did you think of the plot? It certainly had my head spinning...I was like Ruben in believing Andy was making it all up.

I did enjoy the plot a lot, and you're right about Rube and Andy helping each other find more meaning in their lives. And I have to say they were pretty courageous to live out that attraction, as they both thought they were straight.

And I had to smile at your 'male terminology'...that is definitely true.

I can't put my finger on why exactly, but I enjoyed this less than Hot Head.

I think my favorite character was Cilla! She took their relationship in stride, and she also didn't really take any shit from Tibbett.

It certainly did take a lot of courage to act on their attraction. And I loved Ruben's inner thoughts when they first kissed...about how it just felt so right.

The plot was great in that Suede kept me just as confused as Ruben was. When all was revealed, I was all "OH!" And I also think that what was going on and how they both handled it did much for developing their characters.

LOL That male terminology...seriously. But even "bulls-eye face" was something I hadn't heard before. But it worked. And looking at other reviews, this is signature Suede?

Cilla was awesome! "Honestly, Herb," she scoffed at him. "I'm not a child." She might be my favorite character too. But I really liked Hope as well. (THAT is Andy's assistant's name)

What did you think about the 12 steps being used? I liked how he [Ruben] got stuck on moral inventory and meeting Andy and going through all they went through helped him, I think.

One other thing...I liked that Ruben's last name is Oso. He is kinda a big bear...he can be fierce but also soft.

Hey, did you see Pierce Brown is going to be at BEA?

Omg!!!
Fangirling
I know where to use my front of the line pass!

LOL Lucky you!! That's what I get for procrastinating!

I thought it was kind of sad that Ruben never learned Spanish...And at the same time, I can totally relate, as only my two oldest kids speak Norwegian.

Oh, I thought it was sad too but I also understood his parents' desire to be "American"...

And I totally want to look up some of the things Andy said to Ruben in Spanish ;)

ME TOO! Plus, Andy was going to teach him!

Yup, that was awesome
And Hope was great, the way she and Ruben bonded over AA was really well done! 

I really liked that as well. Again, showed the type people they were since they were loyal and faithful to those tenants.

I wish there would have been more of a backlash for Ruben after Peach died, though...

Yeah, I though about that too. He didn't even tell Andy!

And of course you're right, the way the steps were used, and how Ruben was stuck on the fourth said a lot!
And I also liked that Ruben didn't try to make Andy stop drinking to help himself

Me too. What Ruben said was true...he had to live in the world and the world is a place where people drink and there are other temptations...I figure that's part of the process for an addict. But I also thought it was interesting that Ruben could see through to the reasons Andy drank since he's an alcoholic.

Yeah, there were many aspects to the story that come back to me now, because I'm chatting with you about it.

I love how it works that way!

Do we have a lot more to say about Ruben and Andy?
I can't really think of much...apart from that I did enjoy the story, even if it wasn't among my favorites

I guess I don't have anything else to say except that in talking about it with you, I did decide on a 3.5 star rating.

It anchored my 3.5 rating, too.

I really love doing buddy reads!
Hey, I'd somehow missed your comment on the 'jabs at rich white people'...I agree that it was a little irritating but then, Ruben later kinda explains that...how he'd always felt like he didn't fit in, even with his family and that he always thought money would make things better...so I lumped it into character building.

My final thoughts...
Pent Up was my introduction to Suede's writing and rather than the humr I was expecting, Suede served up a nice mystery alongside a nice romance. Suede's style took a little getting used to for me. I didn't know/understand all the phrases or references he used, especially those there were definitely male. But I got looked them up. :) Suede also wove in a lot of cloak and dagger/red herrings. It all mixed together for an engaging story that kept me guessing until the end.